"I say you do know it--you and your whole crowd!" retorted Dick Rover. "This land is a tract said to be full of oil, and you want to do me out of my rights." And now Jack's father appeared to warm up. "Rover, I've had enough of your bluffing, and I won't stand for any more of it!" cried Carson Davenport. "You may be able to put up a big front with some folks, but it won't go with me. I claim that this land is mine, and I won't pay any more attention to what you say until you produce those precious papers that you have said so much about. And even then I may not listen to you. My private opinion is that the army authorities ought to take up your case and make an example of you," went on the oil promoter, with more of a sneer than before. "The army authorities?" questioned Dick Rover, puzzled. "That's what I said. I've heard a thing or two about you. It was all well enough for you to pull Spell in and get a medal for doing it. But when that poor fool wrote out a so-called will leaving you everything he possessed, I reckon he rather put his foot into it," finished Davenport significantly. Jack's father and the boys were, of course, astonished, and even Davenport's companions showed that this was something they had not been expecting. The men crowded around to find out what was coming next. "Davenport, I'll have to ask you to explain yourself!" exclaimed Dick Rover, and strode forward, his eyes flashing. "Want me to explain myself, do you?" cried the oil promoter savagely. "All right, then, I will. According to reports Lorimer Spell ran out ahead of you in that fight, and then he was shot in the back. Do you understand that--shot in the back! Well, who did it? Certainly not the Germans. They were in front of him." "Do you mean to insinuate that I or one of our other men shot Spell?" demanded Dick Rover, and now his face was almost white. "He had made a will in your favor--you were the only one to profit by his death." "You cur, you!" cried Dick Rover. And beside himself with righteous anger, he sprang forward and planted a blow on Carson Davenport's chin that made the oil well promoter stagger back and fall flat. "Hi! Hi! None of that around here!" bellowed Jake Tate, and caught Dick Rover by the arm. "You get back there," was the quick reply. "This is none of your affair. This man has accused me of something, and he is going to take it back." "You let my father alone!" broke in Jack, and rushed toward Tate, followed by Randy and Nick Ogilvie. Then the fellow fell back. Jackson viewed the contest in silence. By this time Carson Davenport was struggling to his feet. He was in a terrible rage and came at Dick Rover blusteringly. "What do you mean by hitting me that way, Rover?" he howled. "You take back what you said, Davenport. If you don't I'll give you another one!" exclaimed Jack's father. "I'll take back nothing."